A van driver who challenged Jacob Rees-Mogg live on the radio over his claims about what the UK leaving the Single Market and Customs Union after Brexit has expressed his fears about the damage that border queues will have on his business.

Ciaran Donovan, who runs an express delivery service transporting goods across Europe, went toe to toe with the North East Somerset MP on LBC over his claims that the UK could adopt Swiss style border controls once Britain leaves the EU.

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“Well I’ve got actual experience of delivering goods from the EU into Switzerland and there are huge amounts of checks and paperwork and costs and delays involved.

“Believe me, it is very far from frictionless.

“When I was delivering goods for an exhibition there, I had to get an invoice of the goods in advance from the client, pay an upfront cost (to be claimed back later), contact a customs agent at Dover to let him know what was I delivering, wait hours in a car park whilst the paperwork was being cleared, drive to Switzerland and then clear customs again at the Swiss border.

“None of this is necessary if you’re in the Customs Union.

“Norway is another model that sometimes gets brought up, even though Norway is in the Single Market which the UK Government wants to leave (although like Switzerland, Norway is not in the Customs Union)."

Could huge lorry tailbacks, as seen in Dover, become a more regular sight after Brexit? (Image: Getty Images)

“Again, I’ve delivered goods across the Norway border and it’s not as straightforward as we are being told by the politicians.

“Due to the nature of the goods I was delivering, I was advised to get a carnet - a passport for goods.

“They vary in price but this one cost £750. It took my customer one week to compile the carnet, and EVERYTHING had to be listed.

“If you get it wrong, the fines are big, even if it’s an honest mistake.

“Once I arrived in Norway I was stopped by customs and told to park up while they check everything in my van against what was listed on the carnet, a process that took five hours."

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“I recently acquired a big contract with a major European customer to collect and deliver goods on an express service (usually overnight) from Paris to London and back twice a week.

“This will only be made possible by the freedom of movement of commercial goods.

“I really fear that this contract will be lost if we leave.

“I know it’s not just about me.

“This is about the wider picture: we need to look after the interests of the UK as a whole, not just the wishes of a few who want to leave the Customs Union and the Single Market for their own benefit.

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